“That is the biggest trophy” – Pep Guardiola proud of Manchester City milestone after Arsenal win | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his delight at his side qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League campaign.

Guardiola and co reduced Arsenal‘s lead at the top of the Premier League to three points on Sunday as goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland made the difference in a 2-1 win for the Blues at the Etihad Stadium.

City can go top of the Premier League if they win their game in hand against Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night as Guardiola’s troops vie for a domestic treble in club captain Bernardo Silva‘s final few weeks at the club.

Arsenal have allowed Manchester City to claw their way back into the title race and the Blues have taken full advantage of the Gunners’ recent woes as the top of the table beckons.

UCL qualification ‘the biggest trophy’, says Pep

Over the years, Guardiola has taken immense pride at Manchester City finishing in the UEFA Champions League places and competing in Europe in every season he has been in charge of the Blues since his appointment in 2016.

“That is the biggest trophy for this club. The biggest trophy today is playing in the UEFA Champions League for many, many reasons,” Guardiola said in a press conference after Sunday’s win over Arsenal as the Blues secured qualification for next season’s group-stage campaign.

City went out of Europe at the Round of 16 stage this term courtesy of a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid in March, though the Blues have more than turned a corner since with a run of four wins in four in all competitions to keep their hopes of a domestic treble alive.

A trip to Burnley beckons in midweek before Manchester City bid to reach the FA Cup final when they take on Southampton in the semi-final at Wembley on Saturday evening.

How have Man City and Pep turned the ship around?

City’s title chances looked bleak after successive draws from leading positions against Nottingham Forest and West Ham in March – as Arsenal had the chance of going 12 points ahead when they played Bournemouth at home last week, 24 hours before City were scheduled to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

However, the Gunners slipped up against the Cherries and City went on to beat Chelsea to close the gap to six points with a game in hand ahead of the weekend battle that has reduced the gap further to three points in a dramatic twist of the title race tale.

Momentum is firmly with City in the last month of the campaign and although goal difference could make the difference between first and second on the final day of the season, it is unlikely that neither side drop points in their final run of league fixtures.

Arsenal play Atletico Madrid over two legs of a UEFA Champions League semi-final tie in early May and the exertions of facing a resolute Diego Simeone side could have repercussions on how the Gunners fare in the Premier League run-in.